Court sentences man charged with attempted murder of opposition MP to 18 years in jail

Tbilisi City Court has sentenced Davit Khechuashvili to 18 years in jail for the attempted murder of Georgian opposition MP Givi Targamadze.

The verdict was delivered in absentia as the man is still wanted.

Tbilisi City Court states Davit Khechuashvili was charged for attempted premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances.

He illegally purchased and stored firearms, explosives and explosive devices and caused significant damage.  

The convict organized a plot to murder then-member of the United National Movement, MP Giorgi Targmadze, with an unidentified accomplice and attached an explosive device to the bottom rear part of Givi Targamadze’s car.

On 4 October 2016, at 21:09 the convict, sure that the MP was inside the car with another person, activated the explosive device. Five people near the scene were injured as a result. 

The car fragment. Photo: Adrian Scoffham's Facebook page. 

Givi Targmadze, currently a member of the European Georgia political party, survived the blast.

Davit Khechuashvili is still wanted. Another person Boris Chagunava was detained and sentenced to 4 years in jail for the illegal purchase and storage of a weapon. 

The punishment was replaced with 6 years probation. 

Givi Targmadze demanded the explosion case be classified as a terrorist act but Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office refused to do so. 

Targamadze conducted an independent investigation and stated that the explosion was planned by Georgian and Russian special services.